1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-contact type IC card including a plane coil and a semiconductor element arranged at a position not overlapping with the plane coil, wherein the terminal sections of the plane coil are electrically connected with the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element. Further, the present invention relates to a process for manufacturing the non-contact type IC card. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the plane coil used for the non-contact type IC card.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 8, the structure of a conventional non-contact type IC card 50 will be explained below.
The plane coil 52 is manufactured by winding a covered conductor wire, etching a layer of metallic foil formed on a resin film or punching a metallic sheet.
In order to reduce the thickness of the non-contact type IC card 50, the semiconductor element 54 is arranged in the substantially same plane as that of the plane coil 52 at a position not overlapping with the plane coil 52. The electrode terminals 56 of the semiconductor element 54 are electrically connected with the terminal sections 52a of the plane coil 52 by wires 58. In this case, bonding wires and covered wires are included in the implications of the xe2x80x9cwiresxe2x80x9d in this specification hereinafter.
Then, a pair of over-sheets 60 made of resin are attached onto both sides of the plane coil 52 and semiconductor element 54. After that, the over-sheets 60 are heated and pressed, so that they can be integrated into one body. In this way, the non-contact type IC card 50 can be made. In this connection, when the wires 58 are composed of bonding wires, insulating material such as an insulating sheet is interposed between the wires 58 and the plane coil 52 so that an electrical insulating property can be ensured.
In the above arrangement, the thickness of the non-contact type IC card 50 is reduced by arranging the plane coil 52 and the semiconductor element 54 in such a manner that they are not overlapped with each other. However, in order to further reduce the thickness of the non-contact type IC card 50, the thickness of the plane coil 52 itself and that of the semiconductor element 54 itself must be further reduced.
However, when the thickness of the plane coil 52 and that of the semiconductor element 54 are reduced, the mechanical strength of each component is deteriorated. This deterioration of the mechanical strength causes a serious problem. Especially, this deterioration of the mechanical strength causes a serious problem in the semiconductor element 54, that is, when an external force is given to the semiconductor element 54, there is a high possibility of damage to, or cracks in, the semiconductor element 54.
The present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a non-contact type IC card, the thickness of which is small, which is less susceptible to damage.
According to the present invention, there is provided an IC card comprising: a plane coil having respective terminal sections; a semiconductor element arranged at a position not overlapping with the plane coil, the semiconductor element having electrode terminals; means for electrically connecting the respective terminal sections of the plane coil to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element; and a reinforcing frame arranged on a same face as that of the semiconductor element so that the semiconductor element is surrounded by the reinforcing frame.
Due to the foregoing, the semiconductor element is arranged inside the reinforcing frame. In other words, the semiconductor element is surrounded by the reinforcing frame. Therefore, the semiconductor element is protected when an external force is given to the semiconductor element. Accordingly, even if the thickness of the semiconductor element is reduced, no problems are caused, that is, there is no possibility that the semiconductor element is damaged.
If the reinforcing frame is composed in such a manner that the terminal sections of the plane coil are formed into a frame-shape, it becomes unnecessary to provide the reinforcing frame separately from the plane coil. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced.
If the inside region of the reinforcing frame is filled with resin material by using the reinforcing frame as a guide, the semiconductor element can be protected by the resin, so that the possibility of damage of the semiconductor element can be reduced.
If the semiconductor element is arranged inside the plane coil, the dimensions of the non-contact type IC card can be reduced, which is advantageous for use in various technical fields in which small non-contact type IC cards are required.
The reinforcing frame comprises the respective terminal sections which constituted a frame-like configuration.
An inside region of the reinforcing frame is filled with a resin.
The semiconductor element is arranged at a position inside the plane coil.
The electrical connecting means comprises a circuit board extending from the terminal sections of the plane coil to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, the circuit board comprising an insulating resin film having first and second surfaces, the first surface facing to the semiconductor element, and circuit patterns formed on the second surface of the insulating resin film; and conductive bumps formed on the terminal sections of the plane coil and on the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, respectively, the bumps projecting through the insulating resin film to the circuit patterns, so that the terminal sections of the plane coil are electrically connected to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element by means of the circuit patterns.
Otherwise, the electrical connecting means comprises: an insulating resin film extending from the terminal sections of the plane coil to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, the insulating resin film having first and second surfaces, the first surface facing to the semiconductor element, the insulating resin film also having through holes at positions corresponding to the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element; and circuit patterns, composed of conductive paste, formed on the second surface of the insulating resin film and having respective ends filled in the through holes, respectively, so that the terminal sections of the plane coil are electrically connected to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element by means of the circuit patterns.
In another embodiment, an IC card further comprises an electrically insulating layer for covering the reinforcing frame, the semiconductor element and the plane coil, at a side of the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element; the electrical connecting means comprising:
an insulating resin film formed on said insulating layer extending from the terminal sections of the plane coil to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element; the insulating resin film having first and second surfaces, the first surface facing to the semiconductor element;
the electrical insulating layer and the insulating resin film having through holes, penetrating therethrough, at positions corresponding to the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element; and
circuit patterns, composed of conductive paste, formed on the second surface of the insulating resin film and having respective ends filled in the through holes, respectively, so that the terminal sections of the plane coil are electrically connected to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element by means of the circuit patterns.
The electrical connecting means comprises: an insulating resin thin film extending from the terminal sections of the plane coil to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, the insulating resin film having first and second surfaces, the first surface facing the semiconductor element; the insulating resin film having relief portions at positions corresponding to the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element; circuit patterns, composed of conductive metal foil, formed on the second surface of the insulating resin film and having respective portions pushed toward the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element through the relief portions of the insulating resin film, so that the terminal sections of the plane coil are electrically connected to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element by means of the circuit patterns.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is also provided a process for manufacturing a non-contact type IC card, the process comprising the following steps of:
forming respective conductive bumps on the terminal sections of the plane coil and on the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element;
arranging the semiconductor element on a face substantially the same as that of the reinforcing frame so that the semiconductor element is surrounded by the reinforcing frame;
covering the reinforcing frame, the semiconductor element and the plane coil with an insulating layer at a side of the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element;
extending a circuit board from the terminal sections of the plane coil to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, the circuit board comprising an insulating thin film having first and second surfaces and circuit patterns formed on the second surface of the insulating thin film, so that the first surface faces to the semiconductor element; and
heating and pressing the circuit board so that the conductive bumps penetrate through the insulating thin film of the circuit board and thus the terminal sections of the plane coil are electrically connected to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element.
Another process for manufacturing a non-contact type IC card comprises the following steps of:
arranging the semiconductor element on a face substantially the same as that of the reinforcing frame so that the semiconductor element is surrounded by the reinforcing frame;
extending an insulating resin film from the terminal sections of the plane coil to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, the insulating resin film having first and second surfaces and having through holes at positions corresponding to the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, so that the first surface faces the semiconductor element;
coating the second surface of the insulating resin film with a conductive paste between the through holes exposing the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, respectively; and
heating and hardening the conductive paste to form circuit patterns so that the terminal sections of the plane coil are electrically connected to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element.
Still another process for manufacturing a non-contact type IC card comprises the following steps of:
arranging the semiconductor element on a face substantially the same as that of the reinforcing frame so that the semiconductor element is surrounded by the reinforcing frame;
covering the reinforcing frame, the semiconductor element and the plane coil with an insulating layer at a side of the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element;
forming an insulating resin film on the insulating layer, the insulating resin film having first and second surfaces, so that the first surface faces the semiconductor element and insulating resin film extends from the terminal sections of the plane coil to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element;
providing the electrically insulating layer and the insulating resin film with through holes, penetrating therethrough, at positions corresponding to the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element;
coating the second surface of the insulating resin film with conductive paste between the through holes exposing the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, respectively; and
heating and hardening the conductive paste to form circuit patterns so that the terminal sections of the plane coil are electrically connected to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element.
A further process for manufacturing a non-contact type IC card comprises the following steps of:
arranging the semiconductor element on a face substantially the same as that of the reinforcing frame so that the semiconductor element is surrounded by the reinforcing frame;
extending an insulating resin thin film from the terminal sections of the plane coil to the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, the insulating resin film having relief portions at positions corresponding to the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element, and circuit patterns, composed of conductive metal foil, formed on the second surface of the insulating resin film;
locally pushing the circuit patterns toward the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element through the relief portions of the insulating resin film, and applying ultrasound to the pushed portions of the circuit patterns, so that the pushed portions come into contact with the terminal sections of the plane coil and the electrode terminals of the semiconductor element and thus electrically connecting therebetween by means of the circuit patterns.
According to still another aspect of this invention, there is provided a plane coil adapted to be used in a non-contact type IC card including at least one semiconductor element, the plane coil comprising: respective terminal sections, at least one of the terminal sections being formed as a reinforcing frame, so that the semiconductor element can be arranged in such a manner that the semiconductor element is surrounded by the reinforcing frame.